Travel is stressful enough for most of us, but not being able to text while you’re on the road is a true nightmare. On an Apple iPhone, you see the dreaded words “not delivered” with an exclamation mark in a red circle whenever a message can’t get through. It’s a worse feeling than losing your luggage for some of us, especially if you’re in an unfamiliar area and need to contact somebody—a rental property manager, your family, a driver—right away.
Fortunately, Apple recently added texting by satellite with iOS 18 for iPhone 14 models and newer. This expansion of the iPhone’s satellite connectivity—Apple previously only provided emergency satellite SOS service—brings regular text messaging service to areas with no cell coverage; It’s like sending in the cavalry if you’re in a remote location.
Curiously, even though satellites are available from anywhere on the planet, you can only text by satellite when you travel in the United States and Canada. This means there are two common scenarios that might come up when you travel. One is when you go into the wild. Cell towers don’t always stretch their signal into national and state parks, near rivers, or in some rural areas. In downtown areas, tall buildings and poor infrastructure can zap cell signals as well. But in these places, a satellite connection is still viable.
Fortunately, the steps to connect to a satellite for texting are straightforward. Here’s how to make sure you can still send a message to anyone from anywhere in the US or Canada.
Prepare for Your Trip
The first step before you ever head out on any trip is to check a cellular service coverage map. You can contact your wireless carrier to ask about coverage areas but a great resource is this FCC map. You can select your carrier and see both voice and data coverage.
I planned a trip to a state park in my area where I noticed most of the cabins and an entire ravine by a river were not covered by either voice or data service. Knowing whether you can connect will help you avoid surprises. If you are traveling with a few people, not being able to text anyone can lead to some serious confusion. You’ll encounter patches without a signal in cities too; I visited a specific downtown area of Minneapolis (right near Target Center) where cell coverage is notoriously sketchy.
The FCC coverage map shows exactly where cell coverage might not work, and it is surprisingly detailed. You can zoom into specific city blocks or roads in a park to see if they are covered. (Also, if your phone is struggling to find a signal, its battery will drain more quickly. So if you’re going to a remote area, bring a battery pack.)
How to Connect to a Satellite to Send Messages
Once you arrive at your destination, you will notice the cell service will deteriorate as you enter a remote area. For me, when I visited the state park, I first noticed my AT&T service said 5G+ in the upper right corner, then 5G, then eventually it said LTE. It feels like you are going back in time, technologically. Down by the river, the LTE icon went completely blank and then showed a satellite icon. That was my first clue that I had an alternative way of texting.
I went to the Messages app and a prompt appeared at the top of the screen: “Stay in touch while letting others know you’re available by satellite” followed by a button that said “Use Messages via Satellite.” Click that button, and you’ll see a screen that shows the curvature of the planet and a message that says “Satellite Available Soon.” It feels a bit like a treasure hunt at this point. You’ll see a prompt to turn left or right toward the satellite. Click on the satellite that appears and stay still, standing in the same direction for about a minute. Eventually, the screen will light up with a green beacon. You are now connected! You’ll see options to connect by Messages, use the Find My app, request roadside assistance, or send an SOS.
